Window-operating device.



C. W. HOPPIE.

WINDOW OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FRED-APR. 4. I917.

mmmm. Patented Jan. 22,1911&

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- amounted,

C. W. HOPPIE.

WINDOW OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 4. m1.

lPatnted Jan. 22,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- M l- \MMMMMMMMMMM UPPER 85H aitoz n ma menace.

C HFRLES W. I-IOJPPIE, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0SAMUEL UJDIN MIND ONE-THIRD T0 HARRY MARSEY, BOTH 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

WINDOW-OPERATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letter: Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 191

Application filed April 1, 1917. Serial No. 159,68d.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. .I'I OPPIE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at lBuflalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Window-Operating Device, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a window operating device, and aimsto pro-. vide a novel and improved mechanism for automatioally raisingand lowering the sashes of a window under the control of a swltch, orother device.

An object of the invention is the provision of novel means for raisingand lowering each sash and for stopping the movement thereof whencompletely raised or lowered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism ofthe nature indicated having novel means for independently controllingthe upper and lower sashes of a window.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel yetextremely simple and effective manner of assembling the electric motoror other prime mover with the driven element.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a windowoperating device which is simple and inexpensive in construction,

which can be readily installed in prevailing Window casings and frameswithout being conspicuous, and which will operate efli ciently to carryout its intended functions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the in vention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the pirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is an elevation of a window construction, portions being shownin section, to illustrate the present operating mechanism appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the motor and transmissiongears.-

F ig, 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view showing the electrical wiring.

In the drawings, the mechanism is illustrated .as applied to aconventional window casing or. frame 1 having the lower and upper sashes2 and 3, respectively, although it will be understood that the presentmechanism can be applied to various windows, the mechanism being housedwithin one of the usual sash weight compartments so as to be invisible,and to provide no objectionable parts exposed to view. The sash weightsare eliminated, with their attendant objections, and the sashes arereadily removable.

In carrying out the invention, an electric motor 4 is employed as theprime mover, although a suitable equivalent thereof can be used. Thismotor 4 embodies an upright casing 5 secured upon the sill or other partof the window frame at the lower end of the usual sash weightcompartment, as seen in Fig. 1. Mounted within the casing 5 are two setsof field coils 6 and 7, between which the armature 8 is rotatable abouta vertical axis being carried by the vertical armature shaft 9 journaledin suitable bearings 10 provided within the casing 5. The lower end ofthe armature shaft 9 seats upon a ball or anti-frictional bearing 11supported by the bottom of the casing 5, whereby the armature can rotatefreely and smoothly. The commutator carried by the armature is indlcatedat 12.

Assembled as a unit with the motor, is a reduction gearing, including acap 13 closing the upper open end of the casing 5 and supported byanti-frictional balls l lfrom the rim of the casing 5, whereby the capcan rotate freely. Suspended for rotation from the cap 13 is a setofplanetary gears 15 which mesh with an internal gear 16 carried by theupper portion of the motor casing 5, to give the gears.15 a planetarymotion. Said planetary ears 15 also mesh with a sun gear 17 carried bythe upper end of the armature shaft 9. The cap 13 is thus driven at aslower velocity than the armature 8, thereby providing the desiredreduction gearing.

The means for raising and lowering the.

sashes are driven from the cap ormember 13, and for this purpose, saidcap has a central upstanding hub 17 receiving the lower end ofa verticaldrive shaft 18 which can be secured by means of a set screw or otherwisein said hub, so that the drive shaft will rotate'with the ca The upperterminal of the shaft can be journaled in any suitable bearing 19 withinthe window casing. Rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft 18 is atubular screw 20 supported by means of a collar 21 or the like, and anut 22 is mounted for vertical movement upon the screw and has a pin orfinger 23 projecting therefrom through a vertical slot 24 with which thecorresponding jamb of the window casing is provided-behind the adjacentstile of the lower sash 2. A slotted plate 25 is embedded and securedwithin said stile of the rail and the pin 23 pro eets into the verticalslot thereof, whereby the nut" 22 and sash 2 have a limited verticalmovement with respect to each other, but when the nut is raised andlowered, this will carry the sash 2 with it. When the sash is completelylowered, the nut 22 is moved off of the lower end of the'screw 20 ontothe collar or sleeve 21, whereby the further rotation of the screw 20cannot move the nut 22 farther, a coiled wire expansion spring 27surrounding the collar 21 and shaft 18 and being supported by a collar28 carried by the shaft 18, whereby when the nut 22 is moved downwardlyout of engagement 'with the lower end of the screw, it will compress thespring 27, for the purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear. Theupper terminal of the screw 20 is reduced, as at 29, whereby when thenut 22 is completely raised, it will move out of engagement with theupper end of the screw 20 onto the reduced portion 29, therebypreventing the further upward movement of the nut, since the reducedportion 29 being exposed can readily rotate within the nut. The reducedportion 29 has a clutch member 30.

The means for raising and lowering the upper sash 3 embodies a verticalscrew 31 also disposed within the window casing and having its upper andlower ends journaled in suitable bearings 32. A nut 33 travelsvertically upon the screw 31 and has a pin or finger 34 projectingtherefrom through a second vertical slot 24 in the jamb of the windowcasing behind the corresponding stile of the upper sash 3. The pin 34pro jects into the vertical slot of a slotted plate 35 and embedded andsecured within said stile of the upper sash, whereby to provide for alimited vertical movement of the nut 33 relative to the upper sash. Thescrew 31 ,is provided at its Iower end with a reduced smooth portion 36onto which the nut is completely lowered, and the coiled wire expansionsprin 37 surrounds the reduced portion 36 and is supported by a collar38 secured thereto, whereby said spring will be compressed by the nut 33when it is moved out of engagement with the lower end of the screwthreads. The upper end of the screw is also reduced, as at 39, wherebythe nut 33 can move out of engagement with the upper end of the screw 31when the upper Sash is completely raised, thus permitting the screw 31to continue to rotate without further raising said nut.

As seen in Fig. 4, the screws 20 and 31 are offset, to correspond withthe offsetting of the upper and lower sashes of the window, and asillustrated, a spur gear 40 is secured to the lower terminal of thescrew 31 below the collar 38 and meshes with a spur gear 41 rotatableloosely upon the upper terminal of the drive shaft 18. The gear 41 has aclutch hub 42, and a clutch member 43 is feathered on the drive shaftbetween the clutch hub 42 and clutch member 30 to alternately engagethem, the clutch member 43 being slidable on the drive shaft but beingrotated therewith. Thus, when the clutch member 43 is moved intoengagement with the clutch member 30, this will connect the screw 20with the drive shaft 18 to rotate therewith, whereas when the clutchmember 43 is raised, into engagement with the clutch hub 42, this willconnect the drive shaft 18 with the upper screw 31.

Said screws are thus alternately connected the armature lever to movethe clutch member 43 upwardly into engagement with the clutch hub 42.The circuits of the magnets 45 and 46 are controlled by the respectiveswitches 47 and 48 and are sup lied with electrical energy from a commonattery 49 or other source of electrical energy. One circuit 50 includesthe magnet 45, switch 47 and battery 49, and the other circuit 51includes the magnet 46, switch 48 and battery 49.

The operation of the motor 4 is controlled by the up and down switches52 and 53, respectively. One motor circuit 54 includes the field coils6, commutator 12, battery 49, and switch 52 and the other motor circuit55 includes the field coils 7 which are wound reversely to the coils 6,commutator 12, battery 49 and switch 53. By operating the switch 52, thecircuit being closed through menace it:

the field coils 6 will cause the armature to rotate in one direction,whereas if the swltch 53 is'closed, the reversal ofthe field by theenergization of the field co1ls-' Z Wlll. result in the armature beingrotated in the opposite direction. In this manner, the screws and 31 arerotated in opposite directions for raising and lowering the sashes.

The switches 52 and 53 can be talzen to represent diagrammatically,automatic circuit closers, whereby the mechanism Wlll be controlledautomatically.

It is also preferable to provide those stiles ofthe sashes opposite tothe raising and lowering mechanism with inset wheels or rollers 57 tobear against the corresponding jamb, whereby to prevent the sashes fromsticking or binding due to the fact that they are raised and lowered atone edge only.

In operation, supposing that it is desired to raise the lower sash. Thelower sash switch 47 is then closed, thus energizing the magnet 45 whichwill swing the armature lever 4A: to move the clutch member 43 intoengagement with the clutch member 30, thus connecting the screw 20 withthe driveshaft 18. The upper switch 52 is then closed, thereby closingone of the motor circuits,

so that the shaft 18 and screw 20 are rotatedin the proper direction tocarry the nut 22 upwardly for raising the sash 2. When the sash iscompletely raised, although it can be stopped at any suitable point, byreleasing the switches to open the circuits, the nut 22 in reaching theupperend of the screw will be moved out of engagement therewith onto thereduced portion 29, thereby permitting the screw to rotate withoutfurther moving the nut. The nut 22 will, however, bear upon the upperthreaded portion of the screw by gravity, so that when the screw 20 isrotated in the opposite direction due to the reversal of the motor bythe closing of the switch 53, the nut will be engaged by the upper endof the screw threads to carry the nut downwardly, said nut having ,alimited downward movement before lowering the sash 2, due to the movement of the pin 23 and the slotted plate 25.

When the nut 22 reaches the lower end of the screw it is moved. out ofengagement with the thread thereof, the spring 27 being compressed, thusallowing the screw 20 to rotate, without breaking any of the parts. Thespring 27 will press the nut 22 upwardly against the lower end of thescrew thread, whereby when the switch 52 is closed to raise the lowersash, the nut will catch hold of the screw thread to carry the nutupwardly, it being noted that the nut has a limited upward movement inmoving into engagement with the screw thread before the pin 23 reachesthe upper end of the slot in the plate 25 to raise the sash 2. It isthus an easy matter, by operating theswitches 52 and" 53 with the switch47 closed, to raise and lower the sash and stop it at any desired point,and it willbe noted that switch 48 is closed, thereby energizing themagnet 46 to swing the armature lever 14 to move the clutch member 43into engagement with the clutch hub 42 thus connecting the screw 31 withthe drive shaft 18. Now, by operating the switches 52 and 53, the uppersash will be raised and lowered, as desired, the operation of the nut 33by the screw 31 being the same as the operation of the nut 21 by thescrew 20, as above explained.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

1. An operating device embodying a motor having an upright casing and avertical armature rotatable therein, a rotatable member mounted uponsaid casing, a reduction gearing between said member and armature, avertical drive shaft having its lower end attached to said member, ascrew operated by said drive shaft, and a nut traveling upwardly anddownwardly on said screw for raising and lowering a member.

2. An operating device of the character described embodying a motorhaving an up- I right casing and a vertical armature rotatable therein,a member rotatable upon said casing, an internal gear carried by thecasing, a sun gear carried by the upper end of the armature, a planetarygear carried by said member and meshing with said sun and internalgears, a vertical-drive shaft having its lower end secured to saidmember, a vertical screw operated by the drive shaft, and a nut engagingthe screw for carrying an other member upwardly and downwardly.

3. A window operating device embodying a pair of screws for the upperand lower sashes of a window, a reversible actuating means, meanscontrolling the actuating means for operating it in opposite directions,controllable means for alternately connecting the actuating means withsaid screws, and nuts traveling upon said screws for carrying the upperand lower sashes with them.

4. A window operating device embodying a pair of screws for the upperand lower sashes of a window, nuts traveling upon said screws forcarrying the upper and lower sashes with them, a drive shaft, reversibleactuating means for operating said shaft, means controlling theactuating means for reversing it, clutch means for alternatelyconnecting the drive shaft with the screws, and means controlling theclutch means.

5. A window operating device embodying a pair of screws for the upperand lower sashes of a window, nuts traveling upon said screws forcarrying the upper and lower sashes with them, a reverslble motor, upand down switches controlling said motor for raising and lowering thesashes, elec- 10 trieally operated means for alternately connecting themotor with the screws, and

switches for the upper and lower sashes controlling said electricallyoperated means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signa- 1e ture in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. HOPPIE. Witnesses:

IvY E. SIMPSON, Mormon E. MILLER.

